1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a zoom lens suitable for a compact camera and, more particularly, to a wide-angle zoom lens including a wide-angle area having a total field angle of 70.degree. to 80.degree. at the wide-angle end.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, among zoom lenses for compact cameras, demands for zoom lenses having wider angles have increased. As a conventional zoom lens for a compact camera, a large number of zoom lenses, each of which consists of a first lens group having a positive refracting power, and a second lens group having a negative refracting power, performs zooming by changing the interval between the two lens groups, and has a field angle of about 60.degree. at the wide-angle end, have been proposed. For example, zoom lenses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,929,069, and the like are known. However, when a wide field angle of 70.degree. to 80.degree. is to be obtained by a two-group zoom lens consisting of a first lens group having a positive refracting power and a second lens group having a negative refracting power, it is difficult to simultaneously assure a required back focal distance at the wide-angle end, and a required interval between first and second lens groups G.sub.1 and G.sub.2 at the telephoto end. For this reason, the demands for the zoom lenses having wider angles cannot be sufficiently met.